1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet printer and, more specifically, to an ink cartridge unit for an ink jet printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an ink jet printer sequentially conveys, page by page, a plurality of cut sheets of recording papers from a paper feed tray to a printer head by a pick up roller and a finger. The recording papers pass beneath an ink cartridge which injects ink through a nozzle at a head thereof. Periodically, the ink cartridge must be refilled with the ink.
Exemplars of current designs include U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,018 for Prinithead-carriage Alignment and Electrical Interconnect Lock-in Mechanism, issued to Pinkerpell et al., referring to FIG. 6A, the invention provides for a separate ink cartridge and carriage. U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,270 for Facsimile Recorder with Acutel, Mounted Staggered Array Ink Jet Printhead, issued to Kurtin et al., referring to FIG. 1, the device includes a print head mounted on a carriage 101.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,294 for User Refillable Ink Jet Cartridge and Method for Making Said Cartridge issued to Ontawar et al., referring to FIG. 3, the invention provides for an ink cartridge having a sealing opening 20 which may be raptured with a filler tube, then plugged. U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,256 for Refillable Color Ink Jet Cartridge and Method for Making Said Cartridge, issued to Keen et al., referring to FIG. 4, the device provides for an ink cartridge including a removable cap 26. The device also has refill holes 20, 22 and 24.
I have found that structures such as these presents many problems. First, because the ink cartridge and the carriage are manufactured separately, the overall cost is competitively prohibitive. Second, the assembly of a substantial number of component parts increases the likelihood of defects present in the finished product. Third, assembly of multiple components adversely militates against miniaturization of products.